Few things can do more damage to a person’s or organization’s online reputation than a hate blog. Often created anonymously and sometimes by very web-savvy individuals, a negative blog can put an immediate dent in search engine results of even the most sophisticated individuals and businesses.

The word blog is a shortened form of the term “web log,” and it was first coined in the late 1990s. Blogs were originally thought of as simple, online diaries. They were first written by individuals who memorialized their lives and pontificated on a number of subjects. Blogs were esoteric in the early days but then some clever entrepreneurs created easy-to-use blogging platforms (like Blogger, Tumblr and WordPress) – making it simpler for anyone to “blog.” Blogger was later purchased by Google which helped bring blogging to the masses.

Some blog sites have morphed into bona fide news sites — think Huffington Post or Nate Silver’s 538 blog. Others remain simple, homespun entertainment and hobbyist websites. The blog has truly helped democratize communication around the world. Yet as many have quickly figured out, with freedom of expression comes people who may not be happy with certain businesses or people.Read more